Thursday, December 1, 2011

Roots Farm Farmers Market: Saturday, December 3 This Week at the Market:-Lettuce!: Sylvesta Green Butterheads & Red Cross Red Butterheads-Carrots!-Broccoli!-Cauliflower!-Green Savoy Cabbage-Kale: Red Russian, Winterbor (Curly Green)-Bright Lights Swiss Chard-Easter Egg Radishes-Sweet Potatoes: Beauregard, Georgia Jets-Mixed Peppers-Arugula-Cilantro-DillIt’s frosty out there! Georgia is doing its usual weather flip flop of balmy-chilly, balmy-chilly. Last week I got a sunburn on Tuesday. Today, I’m watching ice melt off the kale. So it goes. The great thing about the ice is that is makes winter hardy veggies SWEET. Why is that? I’m not entirely sure, but somehow, some plants produce more sugar in reaction to the cold as a kind of anti-freeze. Plants regularly produce sugars as a part of their photosynthesis process, but the cold weather seems to trigger even greater sugar production. Sugar water has a lower freezing point that just plain water, so it acts as a natural anti-freeze. Ice crystals may form on the edges of the leaves, but the cells themselves will not freeze and burst (resulting in frost damage). Magic, I tell you, magic. Or really intelligent design. Smart nature? You choose. Either way, ice = sweet in the realm of winter veggies. Are you missing your weekly supply? Never fear--we're still providing. Come see us at the Saturday Morning Athens Farmers Market! 9am-noon through December 17th! That’s 3 more weeks of farm-fresh produce for you! So come out and see us! Tender and delicious butterhead lettuce, crisp and sweet winter carrots and greens, sweet potatoes, broccoli, oh my! Surprisingly enough, early winter is one of the best times for fresh veggies in the Southeast. Come see us!